Sunrise Shell Hawaii- The Find | Oahu Diving | SCUBA dive for Shells

Finding a sunrise shell in Hawaii is an exciting experience. It takes a good eye and lots of luck but the reward is well worth it. Our simple video depicting our sunrise shell found while scuba diving Hawaii and the process of cleaning the shell.

Sunrise shells are a type of small scallop native to the Hawaiian Islands. The scallop lives in very deep waters (approximately 300–600 ft.) surrounding the islands. When the scallops die, the shells are discarded. With time and the movement of the waters/currents mix the shells with rocks and sand bringing them closer to shore making discovery much more easier. Sunrise shells are easier to find after a large surf swell or storm.

Traditional to the ancient Hawaiians they considered the sunrise shell to be sacred. Rare and hard to find is the reason for its premium price.

The scientific name of the sunrise shell is "decatopecten noduliferum." They are also commonly referred to by the name Langford's pecten.

Enjoy

http://www.oahudiving.com